Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an optical connector assembly for at least two optical fibers.
Discussion of Related Art
From the prior art optical connectors are known for connection of one or several optical fibers. Some connectors comprise means to compensate a misalignment of the optical fibers inside of the connectors.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,759,599A assigned to Toshiba Corp. was first published in July 1988. It is directed to an optical connector, which includes a plug and an adaptor to which the plug is to be connected. A floating holder is arranged in the plug body to be movable in any direction with respect to the plug body. An end of the optical fiber of the cable is attached to a ferrule which is supported by the holder. When the plug is connected to the adaptor, the plug body is fitted to the plug body fitting portion and the holder to the holder fitting portion. At this time, the plug body is locked to the plug body fitting portion by a lock mechanism, and the holder is locked to the holder fitting portion by engaging projections on the holder and engaging holes which are formed in the holder fitting portion and engaged with the projections.
US2009052844A assigned to Framatome Connectors Int. was first published in April 2006. It is directed to a fiber optical connector with a floating ferrule. A ferrule for fixating at least one optical fiber is disposed in said passageway, said ferrule having a front part, associated with a mating side of a housing, and a back part, associate with a rear side of said housing. The ferrule is arranged in said housing such that the back part of the ferrule is permitted to move transversely to the longitudinal axis to a larger extent than the front part of the ferrule.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,988B assigned to Corning Cable Systems was first published in August 2001. It is directed to a fiber optic connector with a ferrule that defines a shoulder having curved corners. Thereby the fiber optic connector allows the ferrule to float within the internal cavity defined by the connector housing without becoming dislodged and assuming a cocked position within the internal cavity.
US2002186931A assigned to Furukawa Electric Co. Ltd. was first published in October 2002. It is directed to a housing for an optical connector and an optical connector. The position of a ferrule which has been accommodated in the housing is uniquely determined within the housing before connection to a mating ferrule. After connection to the mating ferrule, the ferrule is put in a floating condition in the housing.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,464B assigned to Crafts Inc. Comp. was first published in September 2002. It describes a fiber optic connector with a male, which has a ferrule fixed to the housing. Ferrule-to-ferrule alignment is provided by the floating ferrule in the mating female connector.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,686,519B assigned to ADC Telecommunications Inc. was first published in June 2007. It is directed to a female fiber optic connector, which includes an outer housing, a single internal male fiber optic connector and a fiber optic adapter. The outer housing has a first end, which receives a fiber optic cable, positioned opposite from a second end, which defines a connector port for receiving an external male connector. The fiber optic adapter is positioned within the outer housing and includes an alignment sleeve and being configured so that a ferrule of the external male connector fits within the alignment sleeve when inserted in the connector port.
EP0996009A1 assigned to Interlemo Holding SA was first published in April 2000. It describes a connector system which comprises a standard DI N 41 61 2 two-part connector for printed circuit boards having a plug shell inserted into a socket shell. An alignment sleeve is placed in a floating condition in a housing formed in the front plug shell insert. The alignment sleeve allows front to front aligned housing of the ferrules of two fibre optic male contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,828A assigned to ITT Corp. was first published in March 1997. It describes a fiber optic connector which has an alignment sleeve for surrounding fiber-holding ferrules. The sleeve can deflect to receive a slightly misaligned mating ferrule. The sleeve is expandable in diameter and is contained in a hood that surrounds the sleeve and that forms front and rear shoulders. The hood loosely surrounds the sleeve and the hood is loosely contained in a connector housing passage to facilitate reception of a slightly misaligned mating ferrule.
EP0936484A1 assigned to Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. was first published in March 1999. It describes an optical connector structured having an optical connector ferrule accommodated in a housing urged towards the butt connection direction by an urging means. When the optical connector ferrule is moved towards the butt, the stop guard is accommodated in the positioning support part and positioned and supported. When the stop guard is released from the positioning support part, floating of the optical connector ferrule in the housing is permitted.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,085,003A assigned to US Conec Ltd. was first published in January 2000. It describes a fiber optic connector, which includes a free floating ferrule so as to reliably withstand significant side-pull forces. In order to permit the ferrule to be free floating, the fiber optic connector can provide increased clearance or spacing between the combination of the ferrule and the pin clamp and the connector housing. The inner sidewalls of the forward end of the connector housing may have either a bevelled or a stepped profile in longitudinal cross-section so as to provide additional clearance at the forward portion of the ferrule.
The connectors known from the prior art are often complicated and not sufficient reliable over time. It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a competitive and reliable connector which can easily be assembled, tested and operated.